Pryde and Prejudice
by midnightfarie
Summary: It is a truth universally acknowledged...
1. Chapter 1

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a twenty year old woman with a super human ability desires nothing more than to have a normal life. Whether or not this is indeed a truth has yet to be confirmed by such an individual. Kitty Pryde was one such individual. An outsider would look upon Miss Pryde and assume she was in want of very little. She was above average in almost every way. She had long dark hair and exquisite dark eyes. She was slender and rather short. She was also smarter than most. Added to all this was the fact that Miss Katherine Pryde was indeed a superhero. The world knew her by the alias of Shadowcat. She was one of a kind, a woman who could walk through walls. She lived at a school in New York with other who, like herself, were different… special. She had an extraordinary life and therefore could not possibly be in want of anything… Except Mr. Right.

Long ago, Kitty Pryde had established guidelines for the ideal man, with the assistance of a Miss Jane Austen. The bar had been set unbelievably high. Kitty had been fourteen when she had first been seduced by the words of Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice was by fare her favorite book and her love for a fictional character, namely the one and only Mr. Darcy, had long ago slipped into the place in her heart that had been reserved for the one and only guy for her. Unfortunately her ever elusive Mr. Right was an idea she had all but given up on as she opened the worn copy of P&P for the umpteenth time. The man of her dreams had slid out of reality and into a pair of scandalously tight breeches. As she read the familiar words on the page before her, she never could have imagined how real that dream would soon be.

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**Midnightfarie**


	2. Chapter 2

As Kitty slowly turned the first few pages of her most beloved book, she realized that in a way she was raising a white flag of surrender. She lay on her bed in the wake of yet another failed romance. First Lance, then Colossus, then Pyro, then Bobby… and that was just since she moved into the institute. She was quickly running out of available X-men (and brotherhood) to let break her heart. As she closed the book on yet another guy, she opened the old familiar book. The one whose pages contained the only man who had never let her down. She began to cry as she found herself reading the first sentence over and over again.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged…

Her tears blurred the words together as she closed the book, clutching the pages to her chest. Sometimes she wished she could leave her life behind… Phase into someone else's life…. This was one of those times. Little did she know, as she drifted off to sleep, her precious book clutched to her chest, her wish would soon come true.

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**Sorry about the short chapters! They will get longer!**

**Midnightfarie**


	3. Chapter 3

"Kitty, wakeup!" A shrill voice insisted.

Kitty grumbled to herself and buried her head beneath her pillow.

"Yes mother." A groggy voice replied.

Kitty's forehead crinkled in confusion, but accepted that her half asleep mind was mixing dreams with reality. She was nearly back to sleep when she felt her bed shift slightly as someone sat down. A hand gently stroked her shoulder.

"Lizzy, you'd best wake up. Mother would be terribly displeased to find you still in bed at this hour." A familiar voice warned warmly. Kitty pushed aside her pillow and looked at the woman beside her. The beautiful Jean Grey looked back at her. Her startlingly red hair draped down her shoulder in a thick braid, and her body was clothed in a coarsely woven cream colored night gown.

"What are you doing in my room?" Kitty mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Jean smiled and laughed the lovely sound of tinkling bells, yet another demonstration of the red heads perfection.

"It's our room silly." Jean told her, ruffling the younger girl's hair lovingly. Kitty shirked away from her touch and looked at her eyebrows raised.

"Since when?" Kitty inquired.

"Since always." Jean replied, looking confused.

"No, I share a room with Rogue." Kitty insisted.

"What is it you are on about Lizzy? Are you unwell?" Jean asked worriedly.

"Kitty." The brunette corrected.

"Would you like me to fetch her?" Jean asked, even more confused.

"Jean, what the hell are you talking about?" Kitty asked, slightly vexed.

"Elizabeth Bennet, watch your tongue!" Jean squawked in surprise. Kitty looked at her in deep thought.

"Elizabeth Bennet?" She whispered feeling the taste of the name on her tongue.

"Yes, _you_ silly." Jean said curtly. Kitty looked around her room for the first time since she awoke. It took her all of a second to know she was no longer at the institute. Everything was off, there were candles instead of lights… this was not her home, and if her suspicion was right, it was not her time either.

"Jane?" Kitty asked, testing her theory.

"Yes dear sister, are you quite well?" Jean reached out and stroked Kitty's cheek in concern.

"Yes, I'm fine… I just… I just… I had a very vivid dream and it left me rather confused." Kitty said with a fake smile. Jean appeared appeased.

"You are well though?" She pressed.

"Quite." Kitty insisted with a nod.

"Well, you best be getting up, or our mother will be having your head!" Jean warned, patting Kitty's cheek affectionately.

"No worries, I'm practically up already." Kitty promised. Jean gave her an odd look but said nothing else as she left the room.

Once she was sure Jean was gone, Kitty jumped out of the bed that wasn't really hers and ran to a vanity that stood in the corner of the room. She was surprised and relieved to find her own face looking back at her in the mirror. She did look a little different, her dark hair hung in the long curls she normally straightened out. She tucked a dark strand behind her ear as she sunk onto the stool in front of the vanity. Slowly she mulled the possible causes of her current predicament. Either she was having a crazy but very realistic dream or someone was controlling her mind, trapping her in this strange fantasy. Many times she had longing wished that she was Elizabeth Bennet, but that was only because she thought it would never happen… now that it had, she found herself in a strange predicament.

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**Midnightfarie**


	4. Chapter 4

**I would just like to thank Iris Musicia for their reviews. I've been really busy lately and not making time for my darling stories. Your reviews inspired me to work on this story again. **

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Kitty slowly descended the unfamiliar stairs and after peaking around a few corners she found the dining room. As she took a seat, a hysterical woman flounced through the back door.

"You will never be married! Not a single one of you and it is all because of your stubborn fool of a father. He could very well die tomorrow leaving you all in destitution and does not even care. He makes no effort to secure your future. Mr. Bingley, an eligible man has taken Netherfield and your father cannot even be persuaded to initiate an acquaintance with him."

Four girls trailed into the room behind their flustered Mother. Kitty recognized all five women almost instantly. Mrs. Bennet was none other than her own mother. Jean, as Kitty already knew had stepped into the shoes of Jane Bennet. The other three girls were Rogue, her friend Risty, and Rahne Sinclair. Kitty had yet to distinguish who was who of the last three.

"Mama, surely Father can be persuaded to change his mind." Jean/Jane offered in comfort.

"Surely he will not! He has made up his mind and we all know what that means." Mrs. Bennet whimpered pathetically. "I do not think I shall live to see any of my daughters married."

"I'm sure you will." Kitty inputted despite herself. "I mean… a man would be a fool not to fall in love with Jane instantly."

Mrs. Bennet looked at her eldest daughter and smiled happily.

"Oh, you are right Lizzy! She is so lovely; surely she will marry with or without your father's assistance." She cooed calmly, lightly patting Jane's cheek.

Jean flushed instantly and shot Kitty an embarrassed look, as if to say "Why do you encourage her so?"

"We shall meet the gentleman shortly regardless." Jean insisted. "He will certainly attend the assembly, and Mrs. Long promised to introduce us."

"Mrs. Long will be newly returned to town, and will have barely been acquainted herself, and in no position to extend an introduction to us." Mrs. Bennet wailed dramatically. Kitty's eyebrows shot straight up, Jane Austen's words had not done this woman justice. Annoying didn't even begin to cover it. Unfortunately the man who must have been Mr. Bennet (but looked to Kitty Pryde like her mentor and father figure Professor X) stepped into the room causing Mrs. Bennet to let out another even louder earsplitting cry.

"Are you happy?" Mrs. Bennet squawked in displeasure at her husband.

"Not particularly," Mr. Bennet replied. "A highly unpleasant sound has filled the house, it has even intruded into my study."

Kitty, held back a snicker, but the jab that obviously went over the older woman's head.

"Thanks to you, your daughters will have to go without such an advantages acquaintanceship. These poor beautiful girls will have to settle on poorly matched marriages just to avoid becoming old maids. If we are extremely lucky, Mrs. Long will have established herself in his sights in one day well enough that she can solicit an introduction."

"I believe that to be highly unlikely." Mr. Bennet interjected. "It would hardly be respectable after one day, a fortnight is much more appropriate; therefore I believe it to be much more likely that you will have the honor of extending an introduction to Mrs. Long."

"Well that is hardly possible since you have refused to meet the man!" Mrs. Bennet pointed. Risty began coughing and Mrs. Bennet shot her a deadly glare. "Stop coughing this instant Kitty, have you no sympathy for my nerves?"

Kitty had to hold her tongue, realizing just in time that keeping names straight was going to be even more difficult then she had anticipated. She had forgotten about Kitty, the overshadowed Bennet daughter that she never had really taken the time to remember.

"I do not do it on purpose!" Risty/Kitty insisted.

"Oh heavens above, just forget it. I am sick of Mr. Bingley, I am quite sure I never wish to hear of him again!" Mrs. Bennet mourned loudly as she collapsed heavily onto one of the dining room seats.

"Well that is the most inconvenient timing. If you had told me before I could have saved myself the trip to Netherfield yesterday. What's done is done, though and now there is no way for us to avoid the acquaintance." Mr. Bennet announced resignedly. After a long moment of confusion, Mrs. Bennet's face lit up with joy.

"Oh, Mr. Bennet, you are too good to us. I knew you would not so abuse you daughters. What a good joke! You went and never said a word of it. You are so clever, my dear!" Mrs. Bennet gushed.

"I believe you can cough as much as you like now Kitty." Mr. Bennet announced, patting the girl on the shoulder. The servant brought in breakfast and the conversation quickly ceased. Kitty Pryde couldn't eat though, instead she studied each face searching for the differences. Something was dreadfully wrong. As much as her heart longed to dive head first into this fantasy she could not calm her tumultuous mind. She went through every possible explanation for this phenomenon. Maybe she was just dreaming… but it felt too real. Maybe she had been captured by an enemy and this was some sort of mental attack, but if so why stick her in the world's greatest love story. And then maybe this was all real, maybe while she was here living out her favorite book, her favorite heroine had slipped into her life. Maybe they had switched places. But how could that be possible, Pride and Prejudice was a work of fiction… it wasn't real, so how could she really be here.

"Elizabeth Bennet! Have you been listening to a word I have said?" Mrs. Bennet snapped, jerking her from her thoughts.

"I… ummm…" Kitty stared, looking like a deer in the headlights. There was one thing she was certain of, real or not, if she didn't wake up soon, she would soon be majorly screwing up her ideal love story. Something she had learned in a creative writing class was that it was never a good idea to mess with the classics.

Jane Austen was so not ready for a twenty-first century mutant.

.

..

...

This was going to be a disaster.

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**Midnightfarie**


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own the x-men or Pride and Prejudice, I just like to play with them in my spare time!**

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Boredom… Kitty had thought she had known what it was, but after two week is Austen's Pride and Prejudice she had an entirely new comprehension of the feeling. There was not TV, no music, no shopping, and no friends to text… it was a valley girls nightmare. In fact she was even starting to miss the danger room.

Mundane didn't even begin to cover the reality of the day to day life. Her "sister" had gone on and on for the past weeks about Mr. Bingley. They speculated constantly about the company that would be joining him at the ball this very night.

Whether because she already knew the answer and couldn't say, or because she was trapped in this dream turned nightmare with no apparent way to return to the real world, she couldn't bring herself to find any real interest in the only topic on the mind of the other women she spent these slow days with.

As Jane/Jean twisted Elizabeth's (Kitty had grown accustomed to thinking of herself with the new name after about fifty double takes when someone called her name but meant someone else) long dark hair into a becoming knot, Elizabeth twirled a flower between her fingers that they had plucked from fields near the house with the intention of weaving the pale purple blossom into Jane's rich mahogany hair.

Jane had offered for Elizabeth to use it, but she insisted it suited the red of her sisters' hair much better than her own dark brown locks. Besides, she had whispered conspiratorially to the eldest and most beautiful Bennet daughter, Mr. Bingley wouldn't even notice it if Elizabeth was the one wearing it because he would be too busy looking at a certain redhead. Jane blushed profusely and reprimanded her younger sister for her impropriety.

It was moment like that Elizabeth sunk into a moody silence. She was overwhelmed with thoughts of the life she had called her own until so recently. When she was Kitty Pryde, she wanted nothing more to escape her own difficult and confusing life, but now that the world she had known for twenty years was so far out of reach she couldn't help but long for what was for now, and perhaps forever, out of grasp.

Reality.

As their stuffy and overly crowded coach slowed to a stop in front of the town hall where the night's festivities were to take place, it was all Elizabeth could do to stop herself from leaping from the stifling prison. But as most of her actions of the past fortnight (She was starting to get a hang of the terminology) that would the height of impropriety. Instead she sat patiently until it was her turn to step out of the carriage with the proper assistance from a gentleman.

The sound of music carried on the air from the hall; a smile tugged at Elizabeth's lips but was quickly replaced with a look of panic. She didn't know how to dance… at least not the kind of dancing that would take place in there. Maybe she could stumble her way through a reel, but not without making a complete fool of herself. She racked her brain for some memory of the events that took place at the assembly in the book. She couldn't remember anything about Elizabeth being asked to dance… in fact she had been sitting out talking to Charlotte Lucas. So all she had to do was find her best friend Charlotte… which would be simple, if she knew what she looked like.

She could feel her heart pounding within the confines of her chest as Mrs. Bennet shepherded the five girls through the large front doors, and into the dimly lit hall. The many candles did little to cut through the dark and the shadows were long and slightly disorienting, and if Elizabeth had thought the carriage was stuffy it was nothing compared to the crowded room.

Fortunately her greatest concern was soon alleviated as a slender arm slipped into hers and tugged her away from the rest of the Bennet girls. Elizabeth whirled around in panic, but sighed in relief at the sight of a familiar face. Danielle Moonstar, her dear friend, and she knew instantly that this was Charlotte Lucas.

"Lizzy." Danielle cried in delight, squeezing the other girls' hands affectionately.

"Charlotte, I was just about to come looking for you." Elizabeth confessed truthfully.

"Well then, I save you the effort!" The somewhat plain young woman said with a smile. "Oh, I mustn't keep you from your introduction to Mr. Bingley."

Charlotte drug Elizabeth back to her family as they made their way to where Sir William Lucas stood with a small group of individuals who Elizabeth could only assume was Mr. Bingley and Company. She quickly spotted Mr. Bingley lingering in the back of the group, shocker, it was none other than the one and only (devastatingly gorgeous) Scott Summers. Apparently he and Jean were destined to be together no matter the circumstances, figures… Girls like Jean Grey always get those guys.

Elizabeth slipped into place beside Jane as Sir William who bore an uncanny resemblance to one Magneto, began introductions.

"Mr. Bingley." Sir William began, "May I present Mrs. Bennet and her daughters Miss Bennet, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, Miss Mary Bennet, Miss Kitty Bennet, and Miss Lydia Bennet."

He indicated each girl as he addressed them, a handsome blonde man that she had seen once before long ago, if she remembered correctly he had wings then, stepped forward.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He said with all the proper propriety. Elizabeth's world came shuddering to a halt. The blonde was Mr. Bingley, then Scott… Scott Summers was… He couldn't be Mr. Darcy. Thoughts spun about in her head as Mr. Bingley presented his companions; she could barely catch what he was saying. The Hursts were Kurt and Tabitha, and Caroline was none other than Scotts witch of an ex-girlfriend Taryn Fujioka.

As Mr. Bingley introduced Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth couldn't help but look up at Scott's handsome face. He was looking at her and their eyes met, she looked away embarrassed. It was strange to see his eyes, for in her reality he always wore his glasses to block the powerful charges his eyes emitted constantly.

Without the red glasses, his eyes were strikingly blue, and a hitch caught Elizabeth's breath. She focused on the ground before her as a flush crawled across her cheeks. She was incredibly relieved as the group dispersed. Mr. Bingley, requested a dance from Jane and Charlotte pulled Elizabeth away to a private corner to catch her up on the latest gossip.

Apparently, the incredibly handsome Mr. Darcy was also incredibly rich. Elizabeth already knew all of this so she feigned interest as her friend reacquainted her with the details that she long ago memorized about the man of her dreams. Mr. Darcy was perfect, and as handsome as she had ever imagined.

As Charlotte spoke, Elizabeth couldn't help but glance over her friends shoulder at the man of interest, partially hidden in shadow.

The evening wore on, and Mr. Darcy's standoffish nature quickly earned him the label of a being a disagreeable sort of fellow. He danced only with his female companions, and made no efforts to ingratiate himself with anyone not already in his acquaintance, but Elizabeth already expected as much.

Much to, Elizabeth's horror, she was quickly asked to dance and remained on her feet for several reels until she finally managed to slip away unnoticed. She had caught on to the dances quicker than she had expected to, for which she was exceedingly grateful.

Seeking refuge in the darkness behind a pillar, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the music and the sounds of conversation and laughter. That is until one voice in particular caught her attention.

"Come, Darcy," Mr. Bingley urged, "I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing by yourself in this stupid manner."

"I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with."

Kitty's jaw dropped, she suddenly knew understood why Elizabeth Bennet had so detested the man she was destined to fall for.

"I would not be so fastidious as you are." Bingley said, surprised by his friends harsh words. "for a kingdom! Upon my honor, I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life as I have this evening; and there are several of them you see uncommonly pretty."

"You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room." Darcy conceded, looking Jane up and down from her place on the dance floor, his eyes lingered on her lovely face.

"Oh!" Mr. Bingley sighed, his eyes wondering to Jane's face as well. "She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say, very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you."

Elizabeth looked firmly in the opposite direction as Mr. Darcy looked her over.

"Which do you mean?" Darcy inquired, Elizabeth couldn't help but glance in his direction and their eyes met again. He quickly looked away and coldly replied to his friend. "She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humor at the present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me."

A flush of embarrassment and rage coursed through her as she watched Mr. Bingley rejoin Jane on the dance floor. Darcy strode over to a slightly less crowded corner of the room where Mrs. Bennet, Lady Lucas, and Charlotte Lucas chatted amiably amongst themselves.

Well, Kitty thought to herself, Darcy may say whatever he'd like about her, but she was a strong, intelligent woman and she wouldn't take such abuse lying down. She marched over to Charlotte Lucas, a smile on her lips and laughter on her tongue. Pulling her friend aside to speak privately, yet standing close enough that the not so charming Mr. Darcy might over hear.

"Oh, my dear friend, I must tell you, I'm simply ecstatic, look at Jane, she seems so happy. She really is quite lovely." Elizabeth gushed, watching Jane and Mr. Bingley as they danced the reel. Charlotte Lucas gazed out at them as well and smiled softly.

"That she is, no one in the county would dare deny it." Charlotte agreed.

"Why, compared to her, I'm barely tolerable." Elizabeth said pointedly, glancing past Charlotte so that warm brown eyes met cool blue eyes. She raised a calculating eyebrow, but quickly broke the contact to turn her attention to her companion. "Oh well, maybe I am doomed to be slighted by men in the wake of her glory, but at least I will be spared from owing attention to some vain stuffy peacock, because that would be a far worse punishment."

She didn't give Darcy the satisfaction of another look, she knew his eyes were on her and could only hope that her words had stung him as deeply as his had her. She hid her hurt with smiles and laughter, and light hearted conversations that lifted the hearts of her companions.

As her family crowded back into their coach, her pretenses fell away and to hide her wounded expression she gazed out the open window as they began to bounce down the road as the carriage rolled.

All the times she read Pride and Prejudice she had never realized how hurtful the man she had once idolized as perfect had been to her favorite heroine, she didn't understand, until those words were said about her. Now she couldn't understand how a woman like Elizabeth Bennet fell for such a man, she didn't know how she herself had fallen under the spell of the story. Clearly Kitty Pryde was no Elizabeth Bennet.

Then she thought of something else… Scott, the Scott Summers from her reality. He was out of her league and he had never looked at her longer than it took to bark an order in her direction. She had always had a crush on him, every girl did, he was just that guy. And he was totally and completely Jean's for the taking. She could never have a guy like him… not in real life.

Somehow the thought worsened the sting she felt. Her fictional dream man had always been unobtainable, and now he had been given the face of the real life dream man who was even more out of reach. Something about the cruelty of her situation added insult to injury.

Sure, maybe Pride and Prejudice was the so called perfect love story, but it wasn't her perfect love story, not anymore. And she was tired of treading oh so carefully to avoid destroying the storyline. This was some kind of dream… or delusion, but it was her delusion and it was time to play by her rules. So Mr. Darcy was more toad than prince. Kitty Pryde had met her fair share of toads, it was time to bury the torch she had carried for the man for so long.

The kid gloves were off, and Kitty was about to give Austen the story she never could have imagined.

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**So, it has been a crazy long time since I have updated this story and for that I want to apologize.**

**Also I would like to thank KayDee-DesignerExtraordinare's review, it made me feel guilty enough to start writing again.**

**I know I don't deserved it, but it would be freaking awesome if you left a review!**

**I made the chapter extra long! ;)**

**Midnightfarie**


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